Roster/Rumors/Speculation/Trade Talk - 2023-24: Hotel California

[TeamKidd]

So i've carefully spent 10 minutes looking at capfriendly, which makes me an expert, but it seems fairly obvious that unless we can pull a rabbit out of our hats, that this is the team we will have for this year AND next year. There are very few contracts ending this year.... so 2024 is the year to rebuild. Bailey and Beau come off the books, Nelson would have 1 year left, Palms will have one year left which we could buy out or move at a cost and then we'd have 20+mil of cap space to work with. Next year, unless we do some real magic, it doesnt seem like we can do anything with the FWD group.

So, if we are in it at the deadline, great, lets make a playoff run, which this team is capable of.

If not, then I would sell everything that isnt nailed down at the deadline this year (not barzal, sorokin, dobson), take our lumps and suck ass next year too, get draft picks, draft well and aim for a 2024 rebirth with some good kids in the pipeline and lots of cap space to make some moves (ideally with a new GM).

 

[MJF]

So, if we are in it at the deadline, great, lets make a playoff run, which this team is capable of.

Not with these forwards.

 

[TeamKidd]

Not with these forwards.

Well I think they can, they have...the problem is GETTING there...which they can't seem to do

 

[Mike C]

So i've carefully spent 10 minutes looking at capfriendly, which makes me an expert, but it seems fairly obvious that unless we can pull a rabbit out of our hats, that this is the team we will have for this year AND next year. There are very few contracts ending this year.... so 2024 is the year to rebuild. Bailey and Beau come off the books, Nelson would have 1 year left, Palms will have one year left which we could buy out or move at a cost and then we'd have 20+mil of cap space to work with. Next year, unless we do some real magic, it doesnt seem like we can do anything with the FWD group.

So, if we are in it at the deadline, great, lets make a playoff run, which this team is capable of.

If not, then I would sell everything that isnt nailed down at the deadline this year (not barzal, sorokin, dobson), take our lumps and suck ass next year too, get draft picks, draft well and aim for a 2024 rebirth with some good kids in the pipeline and lots of cap space to make some moves (ideally with a new GM).

i might be inclined to hang on to wahlstrom and romanov too

Well I think they can, they have...the problem is GETTING there...which they can't seem to do

because of the forwards. that's the catch-22

 

[Throttle]

So i've carefully spent 10 minutes looking at capfriendly, which makes me an expert, but it seems fairly obvious that unless we can pull a rabbit out of our hats, that this is the team we will have for this year AND next year. There are very few contracts ending this year.... so 2024 is the year to rebuild. Bailey and Beau come off the books, Nelson would have 1 year left, Palms will have one year left which we could buy out or move at a cost and then we'd have 20+mil of cap space to work with. Next year, unless we do some real magic, it doesnt seem like we can do anything with the FWD group.

So, if we are in it at the deadline, great, lets make a playoff run, which this team is capable of.

If not, then I would sell everything that isnt nailed down at the deadline this year (not barzal, sorokin, dobson), take our lumps and suck ass next year too, get draft picks, draft well and aim for a 2024 rebirth with some good kids in the pipeline and lots of cap space to make some moves (ideally with a new GM).

When the Isles have that $20M cap space…other more attractive teams will have it too. And most likely, when the Isles have that space, they are in lotto land, thus only reaffirming outside of Lou’s stewardship, the franchise is a big nothing burger for UFAs.

 

[Chardo]

Six games in, and the Islanders centers have not scored a single goal.

 

[The Wahligator]

Six games in, and the Islanders centers have not scored a single goal.

Barzal, Nelson, Pageau, Palmieri, Bailey, Cizikas - a whopping $30.5 million for ZERO total goals six games in. But no, running it back was the right move. Rest assured knowing Lou has faith in this core.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

Six games in, and the Islanders centers have not scored a single goal.

Also, six games in, and we're ready to fire the GM, the coach and start the rebuild.

So, if we are in it at the deadline, great, lets make a playoff run, which this team is capable of.

What do we do if we're, let's say, 3rd in the division at the deadline? Certainly not a top tier team but looking very likely we're heading to the playoffs. Are we buyers? Do we trade picks/prospects for a rental?

 

[NC 1972]

Six games in, and the Islanders centers have not scored a single goal.

Maybe we should have drafted one of the available centers sitting there in 2019?

 

[leeroggy]

Right now, this is about HOCKEY TRADES, not building up and tearing down.

Find a way to change two forwards who are feeders and find two goal scorers. They don't have to be first-liners.

A couple of years back I talked about fixing the 3rd line and adding about 25 goals there and we thought the Pageau/Palmieri trades would do that, and so far that hasn't translated. Or hope the 4th line would be able to chip in another 10 goals too.

Pageau, Palmieri and Bailey have combined for 3 assists TOTAL in 17 games played. Martin and Clutterbuck with 1G each and Casey has no points. And we are happy with their energy, but one was an empty-netter.

SIX total points from those 'bottom 6 forwards' is NOT GOOD ENOUGH from any of them (and Martin has 3 of the 6!). We're 2-4 with them, how much worse would a bottom 6 that includes Raty, Holmstrom and Bellows (we'll give Dufour the AHL exposure for now) be?

Would Vancouver go for Pageau for Boeser? That changes the dynamic. We brag about our center depth . . . yet, as mentioned above, NO GOALS from a center so far this season???

I still think we should see if Cizikas' offense works if he has competent offensive wingers and maybe trading Pageau for a goal scorer gives him the opportunity to prove it.

 

[MJF]

Well I think they can, they have...the problem is GETTING there...which they can't seem to do

I think this is a bubble team and a first round exit.

 

[MJF]

What do we do if we're, let's say, 3rd in the division at the deadline?

Throw a party and consider the season a success.

 

[duster19]

Barzal, Nelson, Pageau, Palmieri, Bailey, Cizikas - a whopping $30.5 million for ZERO total goals six games in. But no, running it back was the right move. Rest assured knowing Lou has faith in this core.

Center was supposed to be a position of depth for us. It amazes me how many guys are under performing again already. Not sure firing Trotz and promoting his side kick was the way to go. Esp after how well the room responded to a new coach last time. Maybe my expectation of them is to high…but to see guys like Bailey, Pageau, Beau, Palmieri, Barzal, Parise, Brock struggling to score again raises huge alarm bells for me. Those guys all can’t suck…ownership has to consider that there is something bigger going on.

 

[Throttle]

Center was supposed to be a position of depth for us. It amazes me how many guys are under performing again already. Not sure firing Trotz and promoting his side kick was the way to go. Esp after how well the room responded to a new coach last time. Maybe my expectation of them is to high…but to see guys like Bailey, Pageau, Beau, Palmieri, Barzal, Parise, Brock struggling to score again raises huge alarm bells for me. Those guys all can’t suck…ownership has to consider that there is something bigger going on.

They are all standing around fascinated at ice capades do his ‘unleashed’ routine.

 

[Mike C]

I think this is a bubble team and a first round exit.

if that!

 

[Doshell Propivo]

Throw a party and consider the season a success.

So I take it in that situation you wouldn't advocate trading futures for a run?

 

[TeamKidd]

Also, six games in, and we're ready to fire the GM, the coach and start the rebuild.


What do we do if we're, let's say, 3rd in the division at the deadline? Certainly not a top tier team but looking very likely we're heading to the playoffs. Are we buyers? Do we trade picks/prospects for a rental?

I'm only interested in acquiring young controllable assets, deadline or not.

Center was supposed to be a position of depth for us. It amazes me how many guys are under performing again already. Not sure firing Trotz and promoting his side kick was the way to go. Esp after how well the room responded to a new coach last time. Maybe my expectation of them is to high…but to see guys like Bailey, Pageau, Beau, Palmieri, Barzal, Parise, Brock struggling to score again raises huge alarm bells for me. Those guys all can’t suck…ownership has to consider that there is something bigger going on.

There is no buy in. Guys are floating. This team used to be tough to play against...now they're soft.

 

[MJF]

So I take it in that situation you wouldn't advocate trading futures for a run?

I’ve been pushing for a rebuild since the TDL when Lou stood pat.

Keep the picks, take the cannoli.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

I'm only interested in acquiring young controllable assets, deadline or not.

I think you can get that on the dark web...

 

[The Real JT]

I think this is a bubble team and a first round exit.

Poker analogy: I see your glass half empty and spill a little more liquid out of it.

I see them barely in the playoff race near the TDL. Hopefully no desperation moves follow.

 

[Mike C]

I’ve been pushing for a rebuild since the TDL when Lou stood pat.

Keep the picks, take the cannoli.

I gotta give you kudos. You said trade Nelson last season when his value was at his highest. In retrospect, that very well might have been the thing to do, given how far away this team looks from what was hoped for.....and that was WITH Barry not under a newbie finding his way

Props to you!

I think you can get that on the dark web...

Maybe I can get my kidney back too?

 

[Mike C]

Poker analogy: I see your glass half empty and spill a little more liquid out of it.

I see them barely in the playoff race near the TDL. Hopefully no desperation moves follow.

Curious since Rangers play Colo tonight, if we'll see our 3rd straight backup tomorrow and if so, will we embarrass ourselves for the 3rd straight time

 

[MJF]

I gotta give you kudos. You said trade Nelson last season when his value was at his highest. In retrospect, that very well might have been the thing to do, given how far away this team looks from what was hoped for.....and that was WITH Barry not under a newbie finding his way

Props to you!


Maybe I can get my kidney back too?

I didn’t think Nelson was going to forget how to play the game so quickly.

 

[Mike C]

I think you can get that on the dark web...

Hey wait, you can't get them on the last page of the magazines behind the counter that are wrapped in cellophane anymore??

I didn’t think Nelson was going to forget how to play the game so quickly.

He misses the old voice. He's protesting like some of our guys did at the end of last season by their less than enthusiastic play when it was said Barry lost the room

From the looks of things, the room has escaped Lambert too

 

[The Real JT]

Curious since Rangers play Colo tonight, if we'll see our 3rd straight backup tomorrow and if so, will we embarrass ourselves for the 3rd straight time

To the isles credit they’ve beaten 2 teams they should have though at a minimum they should’ve also been competitive with the Devils instead of being dominated by them.

I tell myself it’s early in the season but a team like the Isles need to beat weaker teams, teams coming off b2b games and teams playing their back up goalies.

Most importantly, they need to crush the Rags.